insights: case studies on how woolgrowers are successfully

Case studies on how woolgrowersare successfully managing native

vegetation and biodiversity forprofit and sustainability

improving farm profits through biodiversity

Insights

A national survey has found that of the woolgrowers who havenative vegetation on their farm, nearly 70 per cent believe it isuseful for production. The main benefits identified were theprovision of shelter and stock feed. Other benefits identified withnative vegetation in the survey include the control of pests,erosion and salinity and providing corridors for wildlife.

The aesthetic value of native vegetation and biodiversity is harderto put a finger on, but increased property values have beenreported by several farmers with native vegetation on theirproperties. The broad range of benefits and values associatedwith native vegetation and biodiversity reflects the diverse rolethat they play in farming systems.

This publication profiles how 10 woolgrowers in south-easternAustralia are managing their native vegetation and biodiversity forproductivity, amenity and conservation. While profitability is animportant aspect of the way the case study growers run theirfarm businesses, it is not the only consideration leading to aninvestment of time and resources into improving their nativevegetation.

As a group, the case study growers derive a high level ofsatisfaction and personal pride from improving the health,productivity and visual appeal of their properties. It is inspiringwhat these 10 growers have done to integrate native vegetationinto their farming systems, and to provide such practicalleadership. The diversity of enterprises involved, and theinnovative approaches taken, demonstrate that there are anumber of options available. The importance of farm planningand setting goals is also apparent.

If you are interested in the management of native vegetation aspart of a profitable grazing enterprise, this is a ‘must read’ - Iwas truly enlightened by their stories, and I think you will be too!

The case studies were developed as part of the NativeVegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program of Land, Water & Wool,which is a joint investment between the wool industry’s peakresearch and development body, Australian Wool InnovationLimited, and the nation’s premier investor in natural resourcemanagement research, Land & Water Australia. It is the onlynational initiative that addresses the productive management ofland and water resources specifically for woolgrowers. NativeVegetation and Biodiversity is the second largest of the sevenLand, Water & Wool sub-programs and aims to supportwoolgrowers who utilise native vegetation as part of their woolproduction systems.

The Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program wasestablished to develop, test and promote options for integratingwool production and the protection, management and restorationof native vegetation and its associated biodiversity. This is beingachieved through a combination of activities that will help livestockproducers better understand and manage their native vegetation:

• Improved knowledge of the impact of grazing systems on nativevegetation (including native pastures and bushland) and itsassociated biodiversity at a number of scales;

• Development of best-practice management guidelines formanaging native pastures and bushland in wool productionlandscapes in the high rainfall and sheep–cereal zones;

• Input into the development of accreditation schemes for‘environmentally friendly’ wool growers;

• Development of incentive mechanisms to encourage public andprivate investment in biodiversity conservation on sheep-grazingproperties; and

• Provision of authoritative data to support the environmentalcredentials of the wool industry.

Contents Page

Case 1 'Winona' Gulgong, NSW 3

Case 2 'Stillwater' Yarra via Goulburn, NSW 5

Case 3 'Nant Lodge' Glen Innes, NSW 7

Case 4 'Lana' Uralla, NSW 9

Case 5 'Willandra' Melville Forest, VIC 11

Case 6 'Moonlight Farms' Maryborough, VIC 13

Case 7 'Campview' Moonie via Goondiwindi, QLD 15

Case 8 Traprock Wool Association, QLD 17

Case 9 'Bangor' & 'The Quoin' TAS 19

Case 10 Mid North Grasslands Working Group, SA 21

Introduction and AcknowledgementsThe following partners give unstinting and ongoing support to theNative Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program: The University ofNew England, the Southern New England Landcare Committee(NSW), the Mid-North Grasslands Working Group (SA), theUniversity of Tasmania, the Department of Primary Industries,Water and the Environment (Tasmania), the Department ofSustainability and Environment (Victoria), the University ofSouthern Queensland, the Traprock Wool Association and theQueensland Murray Darling Committee.

The Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program is developinga range of publications, such as Insights, to ensure this vitalinformation about understanding and managing native vegetationis shared with the widest possible audience. It is a tribute to theenthusiasm and commitment of the case study growers that theyhave given their time and their stories to share with othersinvolved with the wool industry. Many of the growers already giveseveral days a year voluntarily to field days, meetings andconferences and they are a source of inspiration to us all. Mysincere thanks goes to them all.

The case studies come from a range of sources. Four of themwere collected by a project team led by Rod Safstrom and ablysupported by John Powell (NSW), Darrell Brewin (Victoria), PeterWylie (Queensland) and Bob Hall (Western Australia). The othersix case studies came from the regional projects in the NativeVegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program. These projects havebrought woolgrowers and researchers together to betterunderstand the role of native vegetation and biodiversity inprofitable wool production systems. Thanks to all of those peopleinvolved in these projects. Kim Mitchell and Jane Thomas fromCurrie Communications did a great job assisting with the editingand coordinating production of this publication, making it apleasure to look at and read.

Dr Jann WilliamsNative Vegetation and Biodiversity National CoordinatorAugust 2005

DISCLAIMERThe information contained in this publication is intended for general use, toassist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the sustainablemanagement of land, water and vegetation. The information should not berelied upon for the purpose of a particular matter. Legal advice should beobtained before any action or decision is taken on the basis of any materialin this document. The Commonwealth of Australia, Land & Water Australia,the authors, and Land, Water & Wool and its partners do not assumeliability of any kind whatsoever resulting from any person’s use or relianceupon the content of this document.

COPYRIGHTCopyright of this publication, and all of the information it contains, jointlyvests in the Land and Water Resources Research and DevelopmentCorporation, with is brand name being Land & Water Australia, andAustralian Wool Innovation Limited. Both Corporations grant permission forthe general use of any or all of this information provided dueacknowledgement is given to its source.

Published by: Land & Water AustraliaPostal address: GPO Box 2182

Canberra ACT 2601Office location: Phoenix Building

86 Northbourne AveBRADDON ACT

Telephone: 02 6263 6000Facsimile: 02 6263 6099E-mail: [email protected]: www.landwaterwool.gov.au

Product Code: PK 050 949ISBN: 1 920860 68 1

Editorial Coordination by Currie Communications, Melbourne

Design, typesetting and production by AT&M Group, Launceston

August 2005

Insights - Managing native vegetation and biodiversity 3

“…The main benefit of native pastures is

increased profitability, principally due to

savings of up to $20,000 per year on

fertiliser. The owners estimate that their

gross margin across the whole farm in

2002 was $167/ha - 25 per cent higher

than the district average…”

Business Profile

LOCATION: Talbragar River catchment, Central West NSW

AREA: 840 ha

MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL: 650 mm

ENTERPRISES: Mixed grazing - fine wool Merinos,Merino stud, cereal crops

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: Undulating to hilly; soils arewell-structured euchrozems trending to non-calcicbrown soils on basalt parent materials. Earthy sandshave formed on granites with yellow sodic soils indrainage lines.

Key points

• Since developing and implementing a low-inputcropping system called pasture cropping, cropharvests have been good with yields average for thedistrict and a significant increase of yield of up to30 per cent where the crops are sown into thickerareas of native perennial grass.

• Under a pulsed grazing method of managing sheepand without the addition of any fertilisers, theclovers and perennial native grass have becomehealthier and produced more leaf. It was found thatthe clovers were responding to an improvement insoil health by way of a large increase in soilmicrobes and humus.

• An independent survey estimated that their grossmargin across the whole farm in 2002 was 25 percent higher than the district average where farmerswere using improved pastures and conventionalcropping on similar country.

‘Winona’ and its history

‘Winona’, an 840 hectare property located in theTalbragar River catchment in Central West NSW,has been in the Seis family for five generations.

Originally the arable land on ‘Winona’ was lightlytimbered grassland with an average tree density ofthree to seven stems per ha. However, by the mid1940s, ‘Winona’ was almost fully cleared of trees.

In the 1950s, sub-clover pastures formed the basisof a very profitable wool production enterprise and by 1970 all of ‘Winona’ had been sown to sub-cloverand ryegrass. Pastures were being annually fertilisedwith superphosphate.

Today, 'Winona' is predominantly a grazing property,although up to 200 ha is sown to oats and cerealrye each year in an innovative pasture croppingsystem. Some of the crops are used to fill the winterfeed gap for livestock on the property.

Jason and Colin Seis run a closed Merino stud andcommercial flock comprising approximately 3500 ewesand up to 500 wethers. The ewes cut an average 6 kgfleece of less than 19 micron greasy wool.

Due to substantial pasture cultivation in the past on‘Winona’, remnant woody vegetation on the property islimited. Remnant native trees include white box(Eucalyptus albens), yellow box (E. melliodora), ironbarkspp., stringybark spp., Blakey’s red gum (E. blakelyi),scribbly gum (E. sclerophylla), and slaty gum (E.glaucina). Understorey species include Casuarina/Allocasuarina spp. and Grevillea spp. Timbered hillshave been fenced off and the balance of the propertyhas been strategically revegetated with a mix of localeucalypt and understorey species.

Native grasses that have re-colonised over a 20-yearperiod of careful management include red grass(Bothriochloa macra), wallaby grasses (Danthonia

Case 1 Thinking outside thesquare at ‘Winona’

Colin and Jason Seis‘Winona’ Gulgong, NSW

According to Colin Seis "costs associated with protecting remnantwoody vegetation are minimal when compared to the biodiversity and stock protection gains that are achieved on it."Photo credit: The Land Newspaper / Colin Seis

feeding soil microbes whilst conserving soil moisture.

Since implementing this method, crop harvests havebeen good with yields average for the district.Interestingly, there is a significant increase of yield ofup to 30 per cent where the crops are sown intothicker areas of native perennial grass. It has beenfound that one of the greatest benefits of pasturecropping is the stimulation of the numbers anddiversity of native perennial pastures.

Cost benefits of managing native vegetation

According to Colin and Jason the main benefit ofnative pastures is increased profitability, principally dueto savings of up to $20,000 per year on fertiliser. Theowners estimate that their gross margin across thewhole farm in 2002 was $167/ha - 25 per centhigher than the district average where farmers wereusing improved pastures and conventional cropping onsimilar country.

Costs associated with protecting remnant woodyvegetation are minimal when compared to thebiodiversity and stock protection gains that areachieved on it.

Planning for the future

Present management of ‘Winona’ is focused onmaximising the profitability of wool and stud sheepproduction on native pastures, while improving‘Winona’s’ contribution to catchment health targetsset out in the Central West Catchment Blueprint.

In the short-term, the owners of ‘Winona’ are aimingto improve crop yields, increase sheep numbers, andincrease the area cropped to accelerate the rate ofnative pasture development.

To date, all woody remnants have been fenced outand are managed for conservation outcomes. Theoverall goal is to improve the ecological health of theremnant woodlands, while improving the productivityand sustainability of the native pastures.

Farming on ‘Winona’ has been a ‘work in progress’ forfive ‘Seis’ generations with each developing systemsthat best coped with Australia’s low fertility soils andunreliable rainfall while generating sufficient income.

Realising the ‘pasture improvement’ system ofexpensive fertilisers that had been in place for 50 years was no longer viable, the current Seisgeneration has developed systems that are positivelyimpacting on the property - both financially andenvironmentally – thus ensuring its future.

Colin Seis was the 2005 winner of the Central NSWConservation Farmer of the Year Award.

Insights - Managing native vegetation and biodiversity4

spp.), weeping grass (Microlaena spp.), Paspalumspp. and speargrass (Stipa spp.). Sub-clover andnaturalised annuals comprise 20 percent of thepasture mix.

Innovative grazing management

A major bushfire in 1979 coupled with the cost-pricesqueeze affecting wool production on improvedpastures and an emerging land degradation problemwas the catalyst for development of a low-inputgrazing management system.

This system was based on the belief that nativepastures that were not phosphate-dependent wouldreturn in time and that due to lower input costs,gross margins would improve. Native pastures wouldalso help control salinity and the other landdegradation problems.

Ten years later the Seis family found most of thedesirable native grasses had returned.

In the early 1990s, Colin and Jason began to putsheep together into larger mobs and started a‘pulsed’ grazing method of managing sheep.

During this time, pasture growth continued toimprove, and species continued to diversify. Withoutthe addition of any fertilisers, the native grass andclovers became healthier and produced more leaf. Itwas found that the clovers were responding to animprovement in soil health by way of a large increasein soil microbes and humus.

In 1992 the Seis family sowed a crop of oats into ared grass pasture, with a zero fill seeder.

Encouraged by its success, oats were then sown intopastures that consisted of a mixture of about 40 percent red grass with the remainder comprising annualplants such as saffron thistle (Carthamus lanatus),Vulpia spp., ryegrass (Lolium spp.) and sub-clover. Amob of sheep was used to reduce the bulk of grassin the paddock.

The sheep also controlled weeds, opened the canopyof grasses - allowing sunlight to the ground - andimportantly, mulched the grass into the ground,

The current Seis generation has developed systemsthat are positively impacting on the property - bothfinancially and environmentally, thus ensuring its future.Photo credit: Colin Seis


‘The productivity of native and sown pastures

has improved dramatically, from an estimated

five dry sheep equivalents (DSE) per hectare

in 1984 to 10/DSE/ha in 2002.’

Business Profile

LOCATION: Yarra, via Goulburn, New South Wales

AREA: 521 ha


ENTERPRISES: Mixed grazing – Merinos and Murray Greycattle

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: Undulating with major drainagelines on either side of a central hill. Soils are fragileand typically infertile podsolic or solodic sandy loams;acidic and subject to waterlogging in winter. Smallarea of alluvial soils on creek flats.

Key points

• The productivity of native and sown pastures hasdoubled since 1984.

• Since 1983 the visual appearance of ‘Stillwater’has improved dramatically with tree cover hasincreased from about five per cent to 25 per cent.

• The benefits of fencing off the remnant vegetationare better grazing control and the ‘ecosystemservices’ provided to the entire property.

• The health of old remnant gums has improvedafter fencing.

The farm

‘Stillwater’, once owned by the family of MilesFranklin, is a 521 hectare grazing property locatednear Goulburn in NSW and has been run by Robertand Robyn Lance and Shirley Ford since 1983.

‘Stillwater’ was first cleared in the 1830s. Followinginitial clearing and development of the property, onlyabout five per cent of the original timber remained.

As a result of the drought of the early 1900s, thefarm layout changed dramatically, with the smallpaddocks on the creek flats giving way to extensivepaddocks. The grazing pattern, which persisted forabout 50 years, led to overgrazing of the hills andundergrazing of the flats.

From about 1950 until the late 1970s, there wasextensive cropping on ‘Stillwater’ due to the improvedprofit margins for cropping compared with livestock.

Due to the improved pasture history on ‘Stillwater’, in1983 its native pasture base was limited. Whilesome wallaby grass (Danthonia spp.), wiregrass(Aristida spp.) and small patches of weeping grass(Microlaena spp.) remained, weeds and naturalizedannuals predominated.

On purchase of the property in 1983, the currentowners classed their property in line with the NSWAgriculture land capability classification. Land classesfor ‘Stillwater’ range from Class 4 to Class 6. Class4 land is considered not suited to regular croppingdue to poorly structured texture contrast soils andClass 6 land is considered not capable of cultivationbecause of shallow infertile soils, waterlogging,salinity, slope, wind or water erosion hazard, or rock.

Today ‘Stillwater’ runs a Merino flock of up to 2500Hazeldean-blood sheep. A mob of elite 200 ewes isjoined to high quality Hazeldean stud rams to breedcommercial rams.

‘Stillwater’ also runs about 120 Murray Grey cattle,comprising about 60 breeders and replacementheifers and their progeny. Progeny are sold at about12 months of age.

A plan for a healthy productive farm

On purchasing the property, Robert and Robyn Lanceand Shirley Ford developed a farm plan based onfencing and land management according to land

Case 2 Wool’s environmentalrenaissance at ‘Stillwater’

Robert and Robyn Lance and Shirley Ford‘Stillwater’ Yarra, via Goulburn, NSW

Robert Lance inspecting a silvertop ash/scribbly gum (Eucalyptus seiberi/E. rossii) remnant at “Stillwater” Collector, NSW. Photo credit: John Powell.

The present owners are also committed toenhancing remnant vegetation, especially on thecentral hill. The hill is seen to have a major influenceon pastures on either side of it, and hence they seevalue in the ‘ecosystem services’ that it provides.

Benefits and costs of managing nativevegetation

Since 1983, the visual appearance and productivityof ‘Stillwater’ has improved dramatically, with a muchbetter balance of healthy trees and productivepastures. Tree cover has increased from about fiveper cent to 25 per cent.

The productivity of native and sown pastures has alsoimproved dramatically, from an estimated five drysheep equivalents (DSE) per hectare in 1984 to10/DSE/ha in 2002.

The benefits of fencing off the remnant vegetationare better grazing control and the ‘ecosystemservices’ provided to the entire property. While the owners believe they lost up to 150 DSEs incarrying capacity due to their remnant vegetationenhancement program, this loss has been morethan offset by improved carrying capacity on theremainder of the property.

Under current ownership, implementation of the farmplan was initially subsidised by off-farm income.However, in recent years, as carrying capacity andprofitability have increased, the farm plan is beingimplemented using only income generated by the farm.

A work-in-progress

The process employed by the Lances at ‘Stillwater’has meant taking a fresh look at the landscape andtrying to recognise the limitations and opportunities it has to offer. It is an ongoing process that may take50 years.

According to the Lances, previous owners of‘Stillwater’ asked too much of the lighter country, andnot enough of the heavier country. By recognisinglandscape diversity and implementing a long term plan,the present owners are taking positive steps towardsthe productivity and sustainability of their property.

Overview

Total area withdrawn from grazing to date 52 haTotal area still to be withdrawn as per plan 23 haArea sown or about to be sown to pines 14 haOther regeneration areas occasionally 20 hagrazed but not to be withdrawnAv wool cut /head 2001-2002 5.9 kghoggets and aboveMicron adult main line 20.6 Micron hoggets 19.5


Class - the heavier Class 4 country would be usedmore intensively, and the lighter Class 5 and 6country less so.

After 20 years, the owners consider the plan about70 per cent implemented but believe it may takeanother 20-30 years to get the property up to ahealthy productive state.

Land Class 4 on the creek flats is being progressivelyre-sown to a new improved pasture mix includingryegrass (Lolium spp.), tall fescue (Festucaarundinacea), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) andphalaris (Phalaris spp.).

Land Class 5 areas with some desirable nativegrasses are sprayed with low rates of Sprayseed orGramoxone and direct drilled with ryegrass,cocksfoot and sub-clover. This creates a goodbalance of native and introduced species whichpersist into dry summers and autumns and provideimproved production for spring lambing.

Some areas of land Class 5 that have patches ofregenerating timber are being progressively fencedoff. They will be grazed lightly to generate someincome while improving their conservation values.

The better areas of land Class 6 are being retainedunder native wallaby grass weeping grass pastureand sub-clover. With careful grazing managementthese pastures are increasing in density andproviding reasonable levels of production, goodground cover to prevent erosion and generating goodquality run-off water.

The less productive parts of land Class 6 are beingleft in remnant timber (predominantly silvertop ash(Eucalyptus sieberi), scribbly gum (E. sclerophylla) orbroad leaved peppermint (E. dives), allowed toregenerate as native bush, or revegetated withnative or introduced tree species. Several areas ofradiata pine (Pinus radiata) have been established.

The plan comes to life


“The bottom line is that I only spend

money on things that I think are going to

improve my productivity.”

Rob Dulhunty, 'Nant Lodge', Glen Innes.

Business Profile

LOCATION: Glen Innes, New England Tablelands, NSW

AREA: ‘Nant Lodge’ – 247 ha; ‘Hillside’ – 630 ha;‘White Rock’ – 420 ha

MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL: between 865 mm and 965 mm

ENTERPRISES: Stud and commercial fine wool Merinoflock; beef cattle fattening

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: ‘Nant Lodge’ – heavy black/brown basalt cracking clay flats with low slopes ofred/brown basalt loams and ironstone ridges;‘Hillside’ – red/brown stoney basalt hill country andblack/brown basalt clay flats; ‘White Rock’ –red/brown stoney basalt hill country with black/brown clays along the gully

Key points

• Financially the Dulhuntys have turned their businessaround, expanded the operation and achieved ahigh level of productivity despite two majordroughts in 10 years.

• Thirty thousand native trees and shrubs are re-creating a milder, more productive tree and shrubmicroenvironment which is attracting wildlife andnative birds back.

• By undertaking Landcare works, the tax advantages,coupled with funding assistance, means that only 20per cent of outlays on improvements are a real cost.

The farm

In a few short years Rob and Annabel Dulhunty havetransformed their 247 ha property, ‘Nant Lodge’,near Glenn Innes in NSW into an award-winningprofitable, biodiverse farm.

‘Nant Lodge’ is situated on the floor of the FurracabadValley. Heavy black soil flats along the creek arebounded by lighter ironstone basalt and grey clay lowslopes and ridges. Different parts of ‘Nant Lodge’ wereonce used for dairy, vegetables and an orchard priorto Rob’s father purchasing it in 1968.

The Dulhuntys’ two other properties are located tothe west of ‘Nant Lodge’.

‘Hillside’ is 630 ha, with basalt flat-tops, rocky drop-offs, and undulating valleys and hills. Rob’s fathercleared ‘Hillside’ but left scattered trees including 35ha of yellow box woodland, 125 ha of white gumopen forest, and understorey shrubs.

‘White Rock’ is 420 ha and well-timbered, fertile,basalt hill country. Forty-five percent is uncleared andmost of the remainder is native pasture. Thedominant tree species is white gum, with patches ofshrubs on the steeper country.

Rob and Annabel manage an unregistered Merinostud of 500 ewes. They also have cattle with up to600 weaner calves (150-250 kg) bought betweenMarch and June. They are sold 9-12 months later,around 200- 250 kg heavier, as new young cattleare purchased.

Rob also runs about 20 cows on ‘Nant Lodge’ tomanage rank pasture in special areas.

Property planning

When Rob returned to ‘Nant Lodge’ in 1989, thepastures had not been renovated for some time, andthe cropping soils had a long history of being ‘farmedto death’. There was not a native tree on the property.

‘Hillside’ was very different. Rob’s father had clearedthe flatter areas but left scattered trees on thegentler slopes, with dense clumps on the flat-topsand drop-offs. Most of the timber on the steeperrocky basalt drop-offs remained.

Case 3 The financial andenvironmental value of biodiversity

Rob and Annabel Dulhunty ‘Nant Lodge’ Glen Innes, NSW

The Dulhuntys have used a combination of improved natural resourcemanagement and productivity gains to turn their business around.Photo credit: Karen Forge

for aquatic fauna and flora in addition to a deep holefor farm water purposes.

Landscape repair

About 17 per cent of ’Nant Lodge’ is managed foroutcomes other than productive pasture. This areaincludes the riparian zone, farm water supply andwetland, aerodrome, tree corridors, block plantings,driveway, homestead, outbuildings, shearing shed andassociated yards.

Rob and Annabel have planted 30,000 native treesand shrubs in 9.5 km of tree corridors in the 10 yearssince 1994, in an attempt to re-create a milder, moreproductive tree and shrub microenvironment. Thisenvironment is attracting wildlife and native birds back.

Financial sense

Business planning is one of Rob’s strengths and helooks at the economic or production value ofeverything and how it fits with his vision.

“Undertaking Landcare works makes financial sense.The tax advantages, coupled with funding assistance,means that only 20 per cent of outlays onimprovements are a real cost. The increased capitalvalue of the property alone means I am ahead, evenassuming no production gains result,” says Rob.

“But, while it’s hard to calculate the dollar benefits, I think there are production gains from fencing offwater storages and reticulating clean water to stock, subdividing paddocks, grazing rotationally, and establishing shelter belts that double asbiodiversity corridors.

“The bottom line is that I only spend money on thingsthat I think are going to improve my productivity.”

Over the years Rob and Annabel have transformed‘Nant Lodge’ into an award-winning farm. Theirambitious redevelopment program has cost about$400,000 in the 10 years since 1994, but thebenefits are already clear to see.

Financially they have turned their business around,expanded the operation, developed a Merino stud,diversified their investments base and achieved a highlevel of productivity despite two major droughts in 10 years.

Environmentally they have restored shade, shelterand healthy aquatic ecosystems to ‘Nant Lodge’.

“There’s been a huge difference in productivity andefficiency, the place is a pleasure to run now,” says Rob.

'Nant Lodge' is part of the Land, Water & Wool NSWNorthern Tablelands project.


“‘Hillside’ demonstrated the productive capacity of ahealthy resource base, providing inspiration toaddress resource base decline,” says Rob.

Realising a major capital works program wasrequired to bring ‘Nant Lodge’ back into fullproduction, Rob and Annabel took the opportunity to study property planning.

They then re-designed the infrastructure andlivestock enterprises from scratch. After sevenyears, they have completed most of theredevelopment of ‘Nant Lodge’ and have made astart on ‘Hillside’.

On ‘Nant Lodge’, the property has been entirely re-fenced to accommodate rotational grazing, fence out the riparian zone, introduce a laneway and plant shelterbelts.

They have also implemented a soil rejuvenationprogram, using a cropping phase to restore soilorganic matter and structure before sowing downperennial pastures.

On ‘Hillside’, the farm water supply/wetland has beenconstructed, and pipelines installed. Rob is currentlydrawing up the re-fencing plan.

Smart grazing management

The re-fencing of ‘Nant Lodge’ into 15 ha paddockswith a laneway has facilitated rotational grazing.

Where possible, Rob grazes different mobs in ashort-duration, high-density grazing rotation with longrests. He avoids grazing by the calendar or to a setpattern, varying the rotation according to season,pasture growth and livestock needs.

Rotational grazing with large mobs means demand forwater is high. This, coupled with two major droughtssince 1994, has motivated Rob to implement waterand drought strategies as part of his farm plan.

As part of this plan, a water supply and wetland hasbeen constructed by damming and fencing out 6.5ha of an eroding gully system. The sides have beenrevegetated with native trees and shrubs, and thereservoir engineered to provide multiple water levels

Establishment of tree corridors throughout the propertyhas attracted wildlife and beneficial native birds.


“Native vegetation is 100 percent

important... we manage for biodiversity

because it gives us a better balance -

more is good.”

Tim Wright, 'Lana', Uralla.

Business Profile

LOCATION: Uralla, New England Tablelands, NSW

AREA: ‘Lana’ – 3350 ha; ‘Kasamanca’ – 780 ha


ENTERPRISES: Fine wool Merinos (15.5-17.5 micron);beef cattle

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: Coarse and fine granites

Key points

• The financial success of the Wright’s operation isevident in their gross margins - even in the droughtyear of 2002, they achieved healthy results.

• The Wrights use ‘strategic rest from grazing’ toenhance the environment so 95 per cent of theproperty is in recovery mode at any one time.

• The cost of fencing and water per acre was aboutthe same as a hundred weight of superphosphate,with a much better return.

Management history on ‘Lana’

Tim and Karen breed easy-care, low cost Merinosheep of good constitution based on fine to superfineMerryville and Lorelmo (poll) bloodlines.

“We have easy-care sheep – the ewes and wethersnever get jetted – and we only drench once or twicea year. This means the cost of production is verylow,” says Tim.

Tim’s father, Peter Wright, took over Lana in 1952.In the mid-1960s, Peter began pastureimprovement. About 20 per cent of the propertyclosest to the homestead and woolshed was clearedor thinned and sown with pasture during the 25years to 1990.

The whole property was aerially supered and seededfrom about 1960.

“We sowed fodder crops of oats under-sown withvetch or a cocktail of pasture species including sub

and white clover, fescue, phalaris, ryegrass and redclover,” says Tim.

“Using pasture improvement like this, we lifted ourstock numbers from 7000 DSE in 1980 to 20,000DSE in 1991. We used to slowly rotate stock: twomonths in, two weeks rest, then back in again.”

Resource issues & problems

The problem was that this form of managementbarely broke even over five years after ‘improving’ apaddock. “After the 1981 and 1994 droughts, thelowest yielding paddocks were the sown paddocks,and the land suffered,” says Tim.

Under the old management regime of spring burningfor green pick, wiregrass or speargrass (Aristidaramosa) flourished, and it continued to be a problemin the uncultivated country. Pasture problems suchas pinrush (Juncus spp) increased in the 1980s, asthe country was more intensively used. The sowncountry all reverted back to native species which, inretrospect, was a blessing.

By 1990, motivated to lower the cost of productionand better utilise the grazing animal, Tim and Karendecided that something had to change.

A time for change

Having experimented with cell grazing between 1991and 1993, Tim moved to planned grazing in 1995.

With planned grazing, stock numbers have beenmaintained, with only one-third the fertiliser inputs ofthe 1980s.

Case 4 A holistic solution for finewool and healthy profits

Tim and Karen Wright‘Lana’ Uralla, NSW

Tim and Karen Wright are endeavouring to manage the wholeecosystem on 'Lana'.Photo credit: Karen Forge

Financial advantages

Wool income for the Wrights has increased and thecosts of production have decreased when comparedto costs during pasture improvement.

“We operate a low-input system now. Our maininputs are fencing and the labour involved in generalmaintenance,” says Tim.

"We now use contract labour only two days perweek, we are not drenching as much, we are notsowing pastures anymore, and we’re not sprayingweeds as much.”

The financial success of the Wright’s operation isevident in their gross margins during the past threeyears. Even in the drought year of 2002, theyachieved healthy gross margins.

Benefits to the land

“In 2002, we had 398 mm of rain, the lowestrainfall on record, yet the stock we have been able tocarry has been phenomenal. And the biggest winnerhas been the land. There’s more groundcover inthese old sown paddocks than there was aftersowing them,” says Tim.

“The sheep camps used to be pinrush and thistle.Now the grasses beat the weeds.”

One-third of ‘Lana’ consists of belts of dense timberand forested hills, which is valuable for winter stockshelter and an important part of the carryingcapacity of ‘Lana’.

“Trees are important for stock shade and shelter.The shade is very important to reduce stress insummer, and the milder temperatures beneath treesin winter keep the grass green,” says Tim.

Tim and Karen are interested in maintaining anddeveloping timber corridors right across ‘Lana’.

“Corridors are primarily important to us for shelter.They also increase the value of the land, and help thewildlife move to all parts of the property.”

The Wrights have maintained the Wildlife Refugestatus of ‘Lana’ that Tim’s father obtained in the1960s. Today the wildlife on ‘Lana’ includes platypus,abundant birdlife, koalas, wallabies, echidnas and thestraw-necked ibis.

“The whole property is a wildlife refuge — it’sbasically all natural, except for an area cleared forthe airstrip.”

‘Lana’ is part of the Land, Water & Wool NSWNorthern Tablelands project.


Planned grazing is based on holistic managementguidelines and involves intensive grazing with a highstock density for short graze periods followed by longrest periods.

“We manage the whole ecosystem, using thelivestock as ‘tools’. We use ‘strategic rest fromgrazing’ to enhance the environment so 95 per centof the property is in recovery mode at any one time,”says Tim.

Their ‘holistic goal’ is as follows:“We aim to develop and maintain our property as anecologically balanced environment. We also aim for achemical-free product. By doing this we believe ourproduction enterprises will be healthier and more costefficient leading to healthier profits for the future andimproving human health. We endeavour to expand thehorizons for both ourselves and the community.”

A fencing and stock water plan

The change to planned grazing on ‘Lana’ involved a newfencing and stock water plan with some major outlays.

The re-fencing program was funded by reducing othercosts, such as fertiliser and hay, and abandoningpasture sowing and renovation. The bulk of thefencing and installation of new stock water sourceswas done over six years. Tim achieved a 100 percent return on capital over two years, through thereduction of vegetable matter in the wool. The cost offencing and water per acre was about the same as ahundred weight of superphosphate, with a muchbetter return.

Trees are important for stock shade and shelter on 'Lana'.Photo credit: Nick Reid


“How do you value a five hundred year old

river red gum? A million things depend on

it… they are irreplaceable and we have

300 of them for which we feel a

responsibility for their protection.”

Peter Waldren, ‘Willandra’, Melville Forest.

Business Profile

LOCATION: Dundas Tablelands, Western Victoria

AREA: 426 ha


ENTERPRISES: Mixed grazing - fine wool Merinos, cross-bred lambs, beef cattle

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: Undulating; gravelly loams overclay on ridges and slopes; light, poorly structuredsoils on drainage lines

Key points

• With up to eight per cent of the previously grazedarea now fenced and revegetated with trees, theproperty continues to produce more kilograms ofwool and meat than ever before.

• Land class fencing has provided better pastureand stock management.

• Tree and understorey planting has resulted inmore paddocks, and healthier remnant redgums.

The farm

Peter and Julie Waldron’s family has managed their426-hectare grazing property ‘Willandra’ at MelvilleForest in western Victoria since 1928.

The sheep enterprise comprises a self-replacing flockof up to 1500 Merino ewes, 1000 Merino wethersand 400 crossbred lambs. The wethers are normallysold for the live-sheep export market at three to fouryears of age. The wool is generally 21 micron at 35-36 Newtons with 25 per cent tender.

The property also carries up to 70 beef cows withcalves sold at 18 months.

Pastures consist of subterranean clover (Trifoliumsubterraneum), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne),some phalaris (Phalaris spp.) and the balance is mainlybarley grass (Hordeum leporinum) and capeweed(Arctotheca calendula). The stock is moved regularlyand Peter finds the sheep and cattle enterprise mix isvery complimentary in his grazing system.

A re-vegetation program

Prior to the early 1980s, native vegetation on theproperty consisted of 300 mature river red gums(Eucalyptus camaldulensis) with a few sheoaks(Casuarina/Allocasuarina spp.) and manna gums(Eucalyptus viminalis). No understorey remained with afew native grasses and forbs surviving on saline sites.The river red gums were isolated 400-500 year oldtrees, gradually weakening and dying. All trees hadthin canopies and appeared to be under stress.

“I could see that with the gradual deaths of remnantson my farm and in the district we were going to runout of native trees which would affect production,”says Peter.

“Loss of timber resources, reduced stock shelterand spread of salinity were progressing unabatedand that’s what prompted me to act.”

In the early 1980s Peter commenced a revegetationprogram to provide stock shelter in all paddocks.Plantations were established on the edges of gullies tointercept groundwater recharge. In 1984 Peter joinedthe Potter Farmland Plan demonstration project.

Since 1980, about eight per cent of the farm has had nearly 20 kilometres of fenced nativevegetation re-established using tubestock and directseeding. Interconnecting shelterbelts cross the wholefarm providing shelter, habitat and eventually sometimber products.

Case 5 Benefits of biodiversitynot just measured byimproved profits

Peter and Julie Waldren‘Willandra’ Melville Forest, VIC

Peter Waldron in a recently established line of native trees (withestablished trees in the background).

“The animals maintain energy on less pastureconsumption whereas previously without shelter theyhad to continually walk and feed,” says Peter.

“Behind the shelter where it is warmer we get extrapasture growth, less evaporation, and a longerseason. Because of the extra feed we have beenable to increase stock numbers.”

Peter says the benefits of his revegetation program,such as higher capital value and improved livestockperformance, far outweigh the costs in time, labourand money.

Of the total cost of the revegetation program (about$121,000), additional contributions came from thePotter Project, which contributed $15,100, while$1,000 came from a State government grant.

Personal rewards

Peter and Julie are very pleased to have contributedto securing the future of the remnant river red gumson their property. As well as the economic rewardsof their revegetation program, the diversity of plantshas made ‘Willandra’ a far better place to live andwork with a far better chance of being sustainable.

“How do you value a five hundred year old river redgum? A million things depend on it,” says Peter.“They are irreplaceable and we have 300 of them forwhich we feel a responsibility for their protection.

“Farmers need to be aware of the ecological chain sothey can farm with nature and gain the benefits. Wheneveryone understands that their land is part of a biggerjigsaw, then the greatest benefits will be gained.”

‘Willandra’ – biodiversity and the bottom line

Measure 1992 2002 % changeGrazed hectares 400 380 -5.3Total DSE 3155 3960 +25.5DSE/grazed ha 7.89 10.42 +32Total wool cut kg 8608 9786 +13.7Wool cut kg/ha 30.3 37.4 +23No. of lambs 550 1000 +81producedNo. of steers 22 29 +32producedValue of manager’s 23,400 20,000 -14.5labour/yearWool price $/kg ~3.00 ~6.00 +100Gross margin loss 20 .46$/DSEGross margin loss 214.71$/grazed ha


The return of native species

Prior to 1984 the only native animals on theproperty were magpies, cockatoos and possums inpest proportions. However, since plantingcommenced, there has been a remarkable change.

As soon as Peter and Julie had established theshelterbelts, they observed small birds such aswrens, finches and chats in the long grass. Oncetrees reached a metre in height birds began to usethem for nesting. Smaller animals such as field rats,lizards and snakes increased in the early days of theplantations with hawks and kookaburras arriving byabout 1988.

By the early 1990s occasional koalas, wallabies and kangaroos and echidnas began to appear with an increase in species diversity as theplantations matured.

Improving the farm business

Even though eight per cent of the property’s previousgrazed area is now fenced and revegetated withtrees, the property is producing more kilograms ofwool and meat than ever before.

Since revegetation, the overall stocking rate hasincreased by 32 per cent, from 7.9 DSE/ha to 10.4DSE/ha. This has been achieved by maintainingsheep numbers whilst keeping the 60 calves longerto18-20 months. Peter also now rears 400crossbred lambs for sale each year, which he did notdo before the revegetation program.

Peter estimates an approximate 25 per centincrease in wool and meat production annually.

According to Peter, improved production can be linkedto farm planning and the revegetation program.Because of land class fencing, there is better pastureand stock management and revegetation has resultedin more paddocks. Pasture composition has improvedwith the greater flexibility to rotationally graze andeasier stock movement. There have also been notableimprovements to stock health.

There are also real benefits to stock health from theland class fencing and more paddocks. Ryegrass(Lolium spp.) staggers is much easier to manage asstock can be rotated and moved more easily. Fencingof gullies and gully dams and reticulating water providesbetter quality water and reduces susceptibility internalparasites by controlling access to areas of infestation.

The shelter effect has been marked. The grazinghabits of both sheep and cattle have been altered.When good shelter is provided, the animals spendmuch of the day resting behind the trees, particularlyduring bad weather. Peter estimates that stockgraze for half the day and rest for the balance.Without shelter, they continually walk and feed, asthey need greater pasture consumption to maintainenergy without shelter.

The river red gum outside the fence line was once devoidof all leaves and signs of growth. However, since the re-growth and new planting on the other side of the fence,the tree has "come back to life", according to Peter.


Business Profile

LOCATION: Maryborough, central Victoria

AREA: 850 ha

MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL: Approx 500mm

ENTERPRISES: Fine wool Merinos, vineyard, cerealcropping

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: Slightly undulating grassywoodland country, mostly cleared for cropping andpasture production. Contains scattered trees androadside vegetation. Predominantly red clay loam, withreasonable moisture holding capacity on the lowerslopes and lower lying areas. Shallow clay loams andsurface rock are found on the higher areas.

Key Points

• Natural vegetation complements the sheepenterprise, providing excellent shelter and afavourable lambing environment.

• Native trees direct drilled to combat erosion inprone gullies.

• Native vegetation protects fragile soils.

• The cleared country is generally sown to improvedpastures such as phalaris and sub-clover and beenfertilised regularly.

• Regular soil testing has lead to lime and superapplication.

The farm

‘Moonlight Farm’ is a third generation wool growingproperty located at Maryborough in central Victoria.

Colin Dellavedova and his son Shane manage the farm,which is home to 4000 Merino ewes (a flock DSEtotal of about 8000), a vineyard, and cereal cropping.The arable size of the property is 800 hectares andthere is about 50 ha of natural bush or native forestthat is heavily timbered with grey (Eucalyptusmicrocarpa) and yellow box (E. melliodora) trees.

In recent years a return on capital of between 4-6per cent has been achieved from the farm. Stronggross margins of over $24/DSE have helped achievethis result.

The Merino ewes are spring lambing and it’s a self-replacing flock. There are two bloodlines; a fine andmedium strain with the fine-wools averaging about 5kg of greasy wool per head and the mediumsaveraging about 6 kg/head. A small portion of theolder ewes are joined to terminal sires for primelamb production.

Working in harmony with the environment

Native vegetation plays a vital role in the overallperformance of ‘Moonlight Farm’.

The natural vegetation complements the sheepenterprise, providing excellent shelter and afavourable lambing environment.

The property has some gullies prone to erosion wherethe Dellavedova’s have direct-drilled native trees forseveral years to successfully combat the problem.

According to Shane the soils in the area are quitefragile and native vegetation plays an important rolein protecting them.

“It’s not your typical heavy, prime fattening country,so being responsible and working in harmony withthe environment is the key,” he says.

Case 6 Productive native vegetationmanagement proving profitable in central Victoria

Colin and Shane Dellavedova‘Moonlight Farms’ Maryborough, VIC

Native bush and forest is a valuable asset for Shane Dellavedova

“We are not afraid to remove the stock to

protect the farm environment…being

responsible and working in harmony with

the environment is the key.”

Shane Dellavedova, ‘Moonlight Farms’, Maryborough.

Project leader, Jim Moll, a senior agribusinessanalyst with the Department of Sustainability andEnvironment at Benalla said: “We have identified anumber of practical ways that woolgrowers canimprove farm profits and at the same time, improvethe quality of native vegetation on their properties.

“Strategies include rotationally grazing sheep throughhill country and improvement of farm shelter treesthrough low-cost temporary fencing.

“The strategies we have developed are more aboutfine-tuning current grazing and farming practises,rather than implementing new technology.

“Preliminary findings from 250 paddocks on ninestudy farms analysed across central Victoria indicatethat paddocks less than 30 ha in size generatehigher gross margins, commonly over $200/ha.

“This suggests that land class fencing may indeedimprove both profits and native vegetation quality.

“It was also found that over 125 paddocks containedsome very good quality native vegetation (importantfor biodiversity). About 10 per cent of these paddocksachieved at least $200/ha gross margin, due tohigher carrying capacity from more productivepastures and shelter benefits.”

The future

Once the mapping of the Dellavedova’s property iscomplete and all the relevant information has beengathered, the Dellavedova’s will work closely with JimMoll and several other project consultants to combinetheir goals (as a sheep enterprise) with the need topractise sustainable management of biodiversity.

“What’s unique about this program is that it has tofit in with the farmer’s personal, productivity andprofit goals. First and foremost, the research has toconsider maintaining a commercial wool growingenterprise,” Jim said.

“Preliminary findings suggest that future wool profitson the farm may be lifted through investment in “wireand water” (land class fencing) as well as low costtree establishment through natural regeneration, formore shelter across the farm. It all points to a “win-win” future for the farm.”


While the property is above the district average interms of stocking rate, Shane and Colin are wellprepared to de-stock to ensure the sustainability ofthe land.

“We are not afraid to remove the stock from thefarm to protect the farm environment,” says Shane.

“The farm environment comes first and when it’s notsuitable, such as in the drought a couple of yearsago, the stock comes off.”

Permanent containment areas (large pens) mean thestock can be moved into these for as long asnecessary to prevent long-term damage to the soil orpastures. Exit strategies exist for a variety of scenarios.

As a further support to this strategy, the Dellavedovaskeep large stores of grain on property. The grain isgrown on the property under minimum till and stubbleretention philosophies.

Examining the role of native vegetationmanagement

The Dellavedova property is one of nine Land, Water& Wool case study farms that are part of a Victoria-wide research project examining the role of nativevegetation management as part of healthy, productivefarming practices and improving wool production.

The project will help identify productive, practicalsolutions for native vegetation management,incorporating the commercial aspects of woolgrowing and sheep breeding.

As part of the project, ‘Moonlight Farm’ isundergoing thorough property mapping and businessanalysis involving measuring a variety of parameterssuch as topography, soil type, financial performanceand animal productivity.

So far several management strategies have beenidentified from the research to date.

As part of the Land, Water & Wool project,‘Moonlight Farm’ is undergoing thorough propertymapping and business analysis involving measuring avariety of parameters such as topography, soil type,financial performance and animal productivity.


“The sustainability of native pastures versus

improved species is an important consideration.”

John Neal, ‘Campview’, Moonie via Goondiwindi

Business ProfileLOCATION: Moonie via Goondiwindi, Queensland

AREA: 3600 ha

MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL: 557mm

ENTERPRISES: 5000 sheep and 200 head of beef cattle.These numbers are currently around 30 per centbelow normal due to dry weather. Around 1400 hahas previously been cultivated for cropping in thepast, but grazing is now the predominant enterprise.

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: 2700 ha brown clay soils,supporting brigalow (Acacia harpophylla), belah(Casuarina cristata) and wilga (Geijera parviflora);800 ha of red-brown clay soils with poplar box(Eucalyptus populnea), sandalwood (Santalumlanceolatum) and wilga trees and other eucalyptsalong the Moonie River; and 100 ha of sand ridges,with poplar box, cypress pine (Callitris sp.) and atheltrees (Tamarix aphylla).

Key points• Actively managing remnant vegetation provides

drought reserves and shade and shelter for stock.

• Areas previously cultivated have been encouragedto return to native pasture, rather thanimplementing a costly pasture improvementprogram using introduced species and landclearing.

• Water quality has improved and streambankerosion minimised through fencing off the MoonieRiver and establishing alternative watering facilities.

• Time-controlled grazing has improved pastureproduction and maintenance of desirable species inthe pasture.

The farmFor Queensland graziers John and Jill Neal, thequality and long-term nature of grazing offered bynative pastures is a strong incentive to maintain andimprove the natural resources underpinning their3600-hectare grazing operation.

“While improved species may provide more feed inearly years, the native grasses do not decline as muchin the longer term, are more diverse and sustainableand suit the natural climate of the country,” says John.

“There is also a faster response to storm rainfall.Further, the quality of the native pastures is betterduring winter than improved species, which tend toproduce a big bulk of summer feed and require proteinsupplements in winter to maintain livestock growth.”

Planning the farm environmentFor the Neals, retaining around 30 per cent ofwoodland vegetation on the property is about right.More than one quarter of the property currentlycontains large areas of woodland, while the Nealsare allowing smaller clumps to naturally regeneratefor shade and timber belts on land previously clearedfor cultivation.

Significant areas of remnant vegetation also remainalong the river in the vicinity of ‘Campview’, althoughthe broader region has been extensively cleared forcereal production.

Controlled grazing is employed on the property toachieve evenness of graze and as a tool to spellcountry for as long as possible. A parasitic lichen isactively being promoted to affect the growth oflimebush - a major pest in the area.

Knowledge is powerGrazing for Profit workshops have played animportant role in John’s approaches to pasture andbusiness management. Time-controlled grazingsystems are gradually being established, with agrazing chart system now in place that is utilisedwhen making assessments of the feed availability ineach paddock. Detailed records of grazing andspelling are maintained.

Case 7 Back to basics approachboosts the bottom line at ‘Campview’

John and Jill Neal‘Campview’ Moonie via Goondiwindi, QLD

John and Jill Neal believe native pastures offer significant advantagesfor their business.

“The sustainability of native pastures versus improvedspecies is an important consideration,” says John.

“The native pastures are a personal choice for ourfamily and this business for long-term sustainabilityand are being encouraged in preference tointroduced species, particularly for feed during theprotein-deficient months of winter.”

The Neals also have a commitment to retainingtimber on the property and protecting water sourcesfrom stock so that good water quality is maintainedand reticulated through troughs across the property.

“Livestock production would suffer if shade andshelterbelts are removed through development, andour resilience to drought – through the availability ofgrasses and edible shrubs in remnant timber stands- would be reduced.

“The timber is particularly important for shade insummer and providing shelter in winter. If the stockingrate is increased and these reserves are not available,then the effect of drought will be more severe.”

John and Jill list their personal goals as:

• to have a profitable and sustainable property, withlittle or no land degradation;

• the state of the land should be in a state ofecological equilibrium, based mainly on nativepastures and vegetation; and

• progress the business and profitability to help theirthree sons realise their goals and visions.

Costs and BenefitsThe Neals have undertaken a comparison exercise tocompare the direction of the present operation witha full development program.

Under a full development program the assumptionsare that an additional 720 ha of standing timber onbrigalow-belah soils would be cleared and sown topasture. This would result in an increase in carryingcapacity of 2.5 DSE/ha or 1800 DSE in total. Inaddition it is assumed that of the total farm area of3600 ha, a further 1000 ha would be planted toimproved pasture, replacing native pasture.

Conventional wisdom suggests this program mayimprove carrying capacity by 1.5 DSE/ha resulting inan increase in carrying capacity of 1500 DSE.Assuming the carrying capacity is increased in totalby 3300 DSE, it would allow an extra 2000 sheepand an extra 100 head of cattle to be grazed.

While the outcome of the improvement programwould approximately double the profitability of thefarm, the Neals believe they will be ahead inproductivity terms over the longer term by returning toa native pasture base and diverting the considerablefunds (estimated to be $250,000) that would berequired for improving pastures to other areas.


Expert advice from Greening Australia and a grantthrough Natural Heritage Trust and GreeningAustralia has also influenced the extensive fencingand stock water reticulation program to excludestock from a large reserve of timber and waterholesalong the river on their property.

The planCore production goals for the Neals include:

• the improvement of the sheep flock with goodbloodlines;

• pasture improvement through more intensivefencing and time-controlled grazing;

• further subdivision of paddocks and installation ofwatering points to assist time controlled grazing(currently the farm has 29 paddocks, which are tobe subdivided to end up with 69); and

• improvements to increase stock carrying capacity -while matching carrying capacity to pasture - usingstock days per hectare (SDH) per 100 mm of rain.(SDH are a standard livestock unit, equivalent toaround seven sheep).

Despite a run of dry seasons, progress inimplementing the plan has been good. According toJohn pastures are improving, the subdivision iscontinuing and another 12 watering points wereinstalled in 2003-04.

Wool production is moving up from 4.5 kilogramsper head to 5 kg/head (average of the whole flock)with good quality 20-21 micron wool.

Cultivation areas of the farm have been returned tonative pasture, which is gradually improving in quality.

The bottom lineStriking the balance between production andconservation is at the core of farming on ‘Campview’.The Neals believe they will be ahead in productivityterms over the longer term by returning to a nativepasture base and diverting the considerable fundsthat would be required for improving pastures toother areas.

The long-term nature of grazing offered by nativepastures is a strong incentive for the Neals.


Traprock region research

The Traprock Wool Association is the focus of newLand, Water & Wool research, embarking on anew initiative to understand the services ‘mothernature’ can offer their productive enterprises.

The Land, Water & Wool project Integratingpaddock and catchment planning – a woolproducer-driven approach to sustainable landscapemanagement, led by Dr Geoff Cockfield fromUniversity of Southern Queensland, involvesTraprock landholders in assessing and learningabout the biodiversity on their patch, therebydeveloping a broader understanding about theecological processes at play and ecosystemservices offered by nature to their businesses.

Regional ecologist with the QMDC Greg Ford said the Traprock region is a highly regarded fine-wool producing area with very significantbiodiversity values.

Greg is responsible for the biodiversity inventory,capacity building, biodiversity monitoring toolkit, andtraining of landholders and other stakeholders in itsapplications.

“The Traprock area is the Queensland stronghold ofseveral woodland bird species whose populationsare declining down south, and is home to adiversity of other animals and plants that arerestricted to the border region of southernQueensland,” he said.

“This is an exiting project in that the landholders inthe area have shown strong determination to learnmore about sustaining the productivity andbiodiversity values of their landscape.”

The toolkit will enable wool producers to reliablymonitor and assess native habitats and identifybiodiversity values while maintaining profitable andproductive farming enterprises.

Business ProfileLOCATION: Great dividing range, south-east Queensland

AREA: 300,000 ha

MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL: 650mm

ENTERPRISES: Largely wool, some stonefruit

LANDFORM AND SOIL TYPES: Light ‘traprock’ granite andgammie, karangi and glenntanna soils types, carryingdense mugga ironbark and tumbledown gumwoodlands in the east (toward Stanthorpe) and moreopen ironbark and yellowbox woodlands on thewestern side (Inglewood).

Key Points• Satellite technology is being used to provide

snapshots of the Traprock Wool Association’s(TWA) environment as a baseline for the group'sown environmental management system.

• It is hoped the system will eventually provide "eco-label" marketing advantages.

• In the short term it is being used to developreplicable production systems that best integratethe financial, social and ecological goals of TWAmembers; and to give the region's woolgrowersenvironmental creditability within their community.

Standing out from the crowd Created in the black days following the 1991 woolprice crash, the Traprock Wool Association (TWA) hasdeveloped a unique reputation for group innovation.The Traprock - named for a pale sedimentary rockwhich, broken down, has given the area much of itsbony soils - is one of the most proactively innovativefarming communities in Australia.

Over the years the TWA has written its own QualityAssurance system, which sees all its members (around70 or so) audited annually on shearing shed practices,and a management system to record chemical use andmob movements. TWA is now five years down thetrack of developing its own Environmental ManagementSystem (EMS) - in this case, TIMS, or TraprockIntegrated Management System.

Case 8 Mapping the futurelandscape of theTraprock

Traprock Wool Association, South-East Queensland

Two of the 70 woolgrowers involved in the Traprock Wool Association,Brent and Margie Finlay, 'Cooinda', Dalveen. The Traprock WoolAssociation is using satellite technology to provide snapshots of theirenvironment as a baseline for the group's own environmentalmanagement system.

of "Malgowan". "It's not, and through TIMS we'reputting together the information to prove it."

Land, Water & Wool has funded the USQ to examinebiodiversity issues associated with wool production inthe area. Birds Australia, which has mapped many ofthe region's bird populations, has already establishedthat the Traprock is well endowed with avian fauna.The satellite updates, the TWA hopes, will also showthat the region's vegetation is not only beingpreserved but enhanced.

Achieving ecological goalsTWA members are being encouraged to use theimagery to plan vegetation corridors that linkremnant vegetation and rare species habitats. TheQMDC has ecological goals for the Border Riverscatchment area, and the TWA aims to integratethose broader objectives into its own goals for eachsub-catchment.

But, says Mr Smith, "people without money can't doany good for the environment: that's the bottomline". To address that equation, TIMS first role will beto enhance production systems.

"The satellite gives us the macro picture, and wecheck things out at the micro level," Mr Smith says."It means that we can quickly identify healthy andproductive areas of the Traprock and study them, sothat we can take the lessons they provide elsewhere."

For instance, the satellite imagery shows wherethere are areas of good groundcover, and guidesTWA members to relevant locations for grass checksthat may help identify important species mixes."Good groundcover is good for the environment andproduction," Mr Smith observes. The imagery alsohighlights those areas where grazing management isworking, and where it isn't.

Grazing management Cell grazing has not been successful in the area, butsome members are evolving variations on rotationalgrazing that are proving promising. The satellite willhelp show just how promising.

When enough information has been collected, theAssociation hopes to draw out patterns that willdefine how certain grasslands are grazed formaximum productivity and ecosystem health. "Wewant grazing systems that are specific to this areaand our enterprises," Andrew Ferrier says.

"Through TIMS, we believe we can demonstrate thatwe can maintain and enhance our productivity whilefulfilling our desire to manage our environment, socialand financial responsibilities with due diligence."


TIMSThe backbone of TIMS is high-resolution satelliteimagery (Spot-5:1 pixel=2.5 metres), purchased fromprivate geospatial mapping outfit with assistance fromthe Queensland Murray-Darling Committee (QMDC).The satellite images cover the nine sub-catchments(all within the Border Rivers catchment) containingthe 300,000 hectares under TWA management. Theimagery will be regularly updated.

The satellite maps are the basis of a series ofoverlays that build up an ecological picture of theTraprock, sheet by sheet. One overlay showsinfrastructure like dams, buildings and fences;another vegetation coloured according to Stategovernment legislation. Another sheet maps remnantvegetation, yet another endangered species.

Understanding the ecologyTIMS operates on several levels, former TWApresident Andrew Ferrier notes. The system isdesigned to ISO14002 - the internationalenvironmental accreditation standard - and so hasthe potential to be a Traprock-specific environmentalmanagement system (EMS). One day, the TWAwants the ISO14002 logo to be stamped as amarketing tool on member wool bales.

"The holy grail is that our wool goes into a marketlooking for an environmentally-sustainable product,"Mr Ferrier says. "For the moment we'll use TIMS forproduction goals, but we can flip into being auditedfor accreditation if it becomes financially viable."

The Association's mixed experience with financialreturns from its QA programs means that membersaren't waiting around for the TWA ecolabel. Theyhave other short-term ambitions for TIMS.

"We've been politically stressed by people claimingthat the Traprock region is an environmentaldisaster," says the TWA's EMS specialist, Clive Smith

Andrew Ferrier's Merinos running on lease country nearStanthorpe. Despite extended, tough seasonal conditions,QA continues to form a very important component of theTraprock approach to wool production.


“We want to be able to better manage

the native pastures so they are more

productive, enabling us to grow more

wool of better quality.”

Tom Dunbabin, ‘Bangor’ and ‘The Quoin’, Tasmania.

Business Profile

LOCATION: Tasmania

TOTAL AREA: 8200 ha

ENTERPRISES: Superfine Merinos, prime lambs, beefcattle and agroforestry

LANDSCAPE: 1000 ha introduced pasture, 3000 hagrassy woodlands, 800 ha grazing/agroforestry,1500 ha of forest, 1900 ha managed primarily forconservation (1600 ha in formal reserves). ‘Bangor’features 30 km of coastline.

Key Points

• New research is looking to identify managementstrategies for total grazing pressure on nativepastures.

• Native pastures are an important resource –understanding their ecology is equally as important.

• Whole Farm Planning is critical to farm management.

• Protection of bird habitat, including the endangeredSwift Parrot.

• 1900 ha managed for conservation outcomes, witha formal covenant over 1600 ha of woodland andforest containing unique plant communities such asgrassy blue gum and shrubby black gum forests.

• Purchase of ‘The Quoin’ to protect the valuablegrassy forests.

The farm

With 30 kilometres of coastline and more than8000 hectares of predominantly native vegetationlandscapes to manage in two parts of the State,Tasmanian woolgrowers Tom, Cynthia and MattDunbabin are busy people.

But with significant heritage and conservation sites on‘Bangor’, such as Aboriginal cultural sites and thepresence of artefacts on the property, the landingplace of Abel Tasman and habitat for the endangered

Swift Parrot and other migratory birds, the Dunbabinsare also managing a special landscape.

The development of a whole-farm plan for ‘Bangor’has been pivotal in achieving both environmental andbusiness goals. This plan involved developing a long-term vision for both profitability and conservationoutcomes. To help meet this vision, stock carryingcapacity was increased by 50 per cent andintegrated pest management principles wereintroduced to manage pasture grubs and internalparasites of sheep, which reduced reliance onpesticides and drenches.

For the Dunbabins, fourth and fifth generationwoolgrowers, the big advantage of native pasturesfrom a farm business perspective is that they are lowinput, with minimal costs required to maintain them.Much of the 15,000 kilograms of wool produced onboth of their properties ‘Bangor’ in Tasmania’s south-east and ‘The Quoin’ in the Midlands region isdependent on the health of the significant area ofnative pasture under their management.

The competition is tough

But competition for feed from large populations of native and feral herbivores, including kangaroos,wallabies and wild deer, can reduce grazing capacity,which in turn affects the quantity and quality of wool production.

Case 9 Tom, Cynthia andMatthew Dunbabin‘Bangor’ and ‘The Quoin’

South-East and Midlands regions,Tasmania

Tom Dunbabin and Land, Water & Wool researcher Dr Kerry Bridlenear exclusion trial plots on Tom's property 'The Quoin'.


Through a Land, Water & Wool native vegetationtrial project the family is endeavouring to betterunderstand and manage overall grazing pressure ontheir native grasslands.

The information from the trial will help the Dunbabinsdesign the most efficient grazing system, and providevaluable information about the effectiveness of theirculling program.

“We are trying to establish just how much of thefeed being grown is being consumed by the sheepand how much by the native and feral herbivores,and what effect that’s having on pasturecomposition,” Tom Dunbabin said.

“To date we only have one year’s data, which isn’tenough to confirm any results, but we do know thereis a large amount of feed being consumed by animalsother than sheep. Anecdotal evidence suggests thenative and feral herbivores eat some plant speciesbut not others and this can have an impact on theecology of the land as well as wool quality.

“Because our business is heavily dependent on nativegrasslands and woodlands for grazing capacity wehave always been interested to develop anunderstanding of their ecology.

“Having this trial on our property has given us theopportunity to have input into the experimentsdesigned to answer some of the questions thatconcern us about natural resource management.”

Native species are important

Both properties experience intense grazingcompetition from native and feral herbivores.

The major native grassland species grazed areWallaby grass (Danthonia spp.), Microleana andKangaroo grass (Themeda triandra). Both propertiesalso have pastures sown with introduced species.

Native pastures account for 80 percent of grazing capacityat ‘The Quoin’, increasing to 100 percent in winter.

“The native pastures are particularly important to fill thewinter feed gap when introduced pasture growth is veryslow,” Tom adds. “At ‘Bangor’, native grasses accountfor about 20 per cent of grazing capacity year round,but during winter support up to 50 per cent of it.

“At ‘The Quoin’ however, native pastures account for80 per cent of grazing capacity, which increases to100 per cent during winter.”

The pastures are rotationally grazed, with nativepastures rested during summer and grazed duringwinter. Under this system, the Dunbabin’s run about9000 sheep with the aim of producing 17 micronwool of high tensile strength, which is where thenative grasses play a big role.

Quality is the issue

“Compared to introduced pastures - which fluctuatein quality - native pastures tend to grow feed of evenquality throughout the year, which leads to goodtensile strength, but the quantity of native grasses isoften a problem,” Tom said.

“Obviously we’d like to be able to increase stocknumbers, but more importantly we want to be ableto better manage the native pastures so they aremore productive enabling us to grow more wool ofbetter quality.”

Tom said the trial measured the differences betweenno grazing at all, grazing by native and feralbrowsers and grazing by sheep plus natives andferals. The technique uses exclusion cages toprevent any grazing, and this is compared to nativegrazing when sheep are excluded, and native plussheep at other times.

“While this doesn’t tell us directly what the sheep areeating it does tell us what the other animals are eating,and by deduction what the sheep consume,” said Tom.

The results of the study will be relevant to largeareas of the Tasmanian Midlands, which cover morethan 400,000 ha, to better enable woolgrowersmanage native pastures for long-term sustainability.

The Dunbabin’s significant leadership contributionswere recently recognised at the highest level, withTom and Cynthia winning the 15th McKell Medal forExcellence in Natural Resource Management.


“In the past, native pastures have been

under-valued but they are important

for long-term grazing productivity and

sustainability in many areas.”

Millie Nicholls, Mid North Grasslands WorkingGroup, SA

Business Profile

NATIVE PASTURES GRAZED: 500,000 ha

ANNUAL AVERAGE RAINFALL: 250-500 mm

WOOLGROWERS IN REGION: 1450

COMMON NATIVE GRASS SPECIES IN MID NORTH: Wallaby grass,Kangaroo Grass, Spear grass, Brush Wire grass,Windmill grass, Queensland Blue grass, Red grass,Blackhead grass, and Lemon grass.

Key Points

• Research funded by Land, Water & Wool aims tostudy the effect of grazing management of nativepastures on sheep productivity, farm financialreturns and native pasture biodiversity. By usingexisting MNGWG trial sites, previously funded by theNatural Heritage Trust, the project will generateone of the few long-term trials on the grazingmanagement of native pastures in Australia.

• Traditionally, native pastures in the hill areas of theMid North of South Australia are continuouslygrazed at the same time each year (usually fromthe autumn break in May until harvest inDecember) to fit in with the cropping program.Over time, this has reduced the population ofnative perennial grasses and produced pasturesdominated by undesirable annual grasses such aswild oats and barley grass.

• Some growers aim to achieve significant increasesin pasture utilisation rates - doubling current ratesin some cases, and conserve and improve nativepasture biodiversity by rotational grazing, and boostprofits through increased production.

An important landscape

The Mid North Grasslands Working Group (MNGWG)was established in 1999 to provide farmers withpractical information and support on themanagement of native pastures for increasedproductivity, biodiversity and conservation. The group

now consists of more than 300 farmers throughoutthe Mid and Upper North of South Australia as wellas government and non-government representatives.

“Generally native pastures in the hill areas of the MidNorth are continuously grazed during winter to fit inwith the cropping program,” said Project Investigatorand Mid-North woolgrower Millie Nicholls, from theMid North Grasslands Working Group.

“This has reduced the population of native perennialgrasses and produced pastures dominated byundesirable annual grasses such as wild oats andbarley grass.”

One of the woolgrowers involved in the project isRowan Cootes, whose family own a 1200 hectarefarm near Spalding.

The Cootes family crop about 800 ha and run a self-replacing Merino flock with a total Dry SheepEquivalent (DSE) of 3500 (winter-grazed). Theproperty’s annual average rainfall is 450 millimetre.

According to Rowan, he became involved in the projectdue to concerns about the detrimental impact setstocking was having on their grazing land in the hills onhis property, which totals about 250 ha.

“Large areas of capped soil were developing, therewere increased numbers of weeds such as thistles andwe had poor pasture utilisation in parts of the paddockdue to patch grazing by our sheep,” Rowan said.

Case 10 Native grasses criticalto profitability in theMid North

Mid North Grasslands WorkingGroup, South Australia

Woolgrowers in the Mid-North of SA aim to conserve and increasenative pasture biodiversity and on-farm profits through improved grazingmanagement as part of a new research project. Project investigatorMillie Nicholls, from the Mid North Grasslands Working Group, ispictured with Spalding farmer Rowan Cootes, one of the woolgrowersinvolved in the project.

As a result of these changes, daily pasture growthrate has increased across the demonstration sitesfrom 11 kilograms of dry matter per hectare per dayup to 14 kg DM/ha/day and annual stocking ratesfrom 2.3 dry sheep equivalents (DSE) per hectare upto 3.3 DSE/ha.

Stocking rates set the pace

A significant result from the project has been the 71per cent increase in stocking rate achieved in the cellgrazing paddock compared with the district practice.The average stocking rate of the district practicetreatment is 2.5 DSE/ha while the cell grazingtreatment is averaging 4.3 DSE/ha.

This increase (1.8 DSE) equates to an increase of1.3 Merino ewes/ha. With an estimated grossmargin per ewe of $60, consultants estimate theincreased stocking rate could increase farm netincome by $78/ha/year.

Not only has the cell grazing treatment increasedstocking rates, it has also improved grasslandhealth. It is the only paddock which has shown areduction in bare ground. During the past two yearsof monitoring, bare ground has increased to morethan 40 per cent under district grazing practicecompared with only 5 per cent bare ground in thecell grazing treatment. The cell grazing treatmenthas also shown the greatest increase in thefrequency and abundance of perennial grasses.

Change for the better

For Rowan Cootes, the demonstration site ischanging the direction of grazing on the property.

“We are now rotationally grazing more paddocksaccording to pasture growth, working on theprinciple of high density, short duration grazing. Forexample we might run 2000 DSE in a 6 ha paddockabout four times per year,” Rowan said.

“And a spin-off from increased pasture growth is theopportunity to increase sustainable stocking rates.The previous maximum stocking rate we would haveachieved in our hills would have been 2.5 DSE/haand through rotational grazing we have increased ourannual stocking rate to about 3.7 DSE/ha.”

According to Millie Nicholls: “In the past, nativepastures have been under-valued but they areimportant for long-term grazing productivity andsustainability in many areas. They are drought-tolerant, low-input, healthy and if managed correctlywill be productive pastures.”


Measurements with meaning

A range of measurements are being takenthroughout the Land, Water & Wool project on boththe scientific and demonstration sites by AgriculturalInformation and Monitoring Services, Armidale,NSW. This includes stocking rate, pasture growthrate, change in native and annual pasture species,species diversity, ground cover, herbage mass, mobsize and animal class, grazing period, sheep liveweight and water-use efficiency.

Recent results from the trial indicate that rotationalgrazing according to plant growth rates can have arange of benefits. This includes increased stockingrates, healthier perennial plants, reduced bareground and improved water infiltration.

On the demonstration farms, paddocks have beensubdivided and set-stocking replaced with rotationalgrazing using large mobs of sheep. The emphasis ison providing sufficient recovery periods from grazingfor the perennial plants. One of the significantchanges has been the increase in ground cover onnorth-facing slopes. Typically most of thedemonstration sites had an average of 30-50 percent bare ground on the north-facing slopes butrotational grazing has reduced this figure to 0-20per cent bare ground.

Smaller paddocks have prevented overgrazing of thenorth-facing slopes because sheep spend less timegrazing these areas. The reduction in bare groundalso means less run-off and erosion, resulting inmore feed in the paddocks.

Plant composition changes

Changes in the perennial plant population have beenslow but the perennial plants are larger, healthierand producing more feed. There has also been somerecruitment of new plants.

Changes in the perrenial plant population have beenslow but the perennial plants are larger, healthier andproducuing more feed. There has also been somerecruitment of new plants.

Further InformationThe Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program of Land, Water & Wool has five major regional projects that are bringing woolgrowers and researchers together.

The contact in your State is:

SA SE QLDKylie Nicholls Dr Geoff CockfieldFull Bottle Media Uni of Southern Queenslandt (08) 8842 3275 t (07) 4631 1246e [email protected] e [email protected]

VIC Greg FordJim Moll Qld Murray DarlingDept of Sustainability & CommitteeEnvironment (DSE) t (07) 4637 6230t (03) 5761 1619 m 0427 245 211e [email protected]

TAS Northern NSWJamie Kirkpatrick Nick ReidUni of Tasmania Uni of New Englandt (03) 6226 2460 t (02) 6773 2759e [email protected] e [email protected]

Land, Water & Wool Native Vegetation & BiodiversityNational CoordinatorJann Williamst 0419 520 776e [email protected]

Visit Land, Water & Wool on-line:www.landwaterwool.gov.au

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Land, Water &Wool is currently investing in the development of innovativeR&D projects and training activities to help Australia’s wool industry improveon-farm production and also the health of the land and water resources thatunderpin wool production businesses.

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Native Vegetation and Biodiversity

The Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program ofLand, Water & Wool is exploring ways of managinglandscapes so as to maintain enterprise profitability whilemeeting natural resource management objectives.

The primary aim of the Sub-program is to develop, testand promote options for integrating wool production andthe protection, management and restoration of nativevegetation and its associated biodiversity.

Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program has fiveregional projects in the high rainfall and sheep-cerealzones. Within these projects, more than 70 families withcommercial woolgrowing enterprises are now directlyinvolved with research projects on their properties, while afurther 2750 woolgrowers are currently indirectly involved.

In order to deliver the research results to a larger groupof woolgrowers, project teams are also working closelywith wool initiatives such as 8x5 in Tasmania andBestWool in Victoria.

The Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program has arange of information resources to assist woolgrowers andtheir advisors with decision-making on-farm.

To view a full list of products available, visit the Land,Water & Wool website www.landwaterwool.gov.au

Land, Water & Wool (LWW) is a joint investmentbetween the wool industry’s peak research anddevelopment body, Australian Wool Innovation Limited,and the nation’s premier investor in natural resourcemanagement research, Land & Water Australia.

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Insights - Managing saltland for profit and sustainability

The Land, Water & Wool Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Sub-program is supported by:

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